Arabic version: منشورات وزراء تسمانيا عن عيد الميلاد تثير انتقادات نقابية

According to ABC News, a dispute over a Tasmanian primary school’s alleged cancellation of Christmas has intensified after government ministers posted messages, memes and an AI-generated image on social media. The debate began when Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he had been told of efforts to remove references to Christmas from end-of-year school celebrations and had asked the Education Department to step in.

Mr Rockliff did not identify the school, but the post was linked to a northern Tasmanian school that planned to rename an event from Christmas on the Hill to End of Year Extravaganza. Other events on the school’s festive calendar still reference Christmas. The school’s acting principal is on stress leave.

The premier said he had reiterated to the department that schools were expected to acknowledge and celebrate Christmas, adding that he stood by that expectation. Treasurer Eric Abetz, former minister Michael Ferguson, Police Minister Felix Ellis and Guy Barnett also posted in support of Christmas celebrations. Mr Abetz shared an AI-generated image of a mother comforting a son about a cancelled nativity play and said schools should celebrate traditions observed by the overwhelming majority of Tasmanians.

The Australian Education Union accused the ministers of joining a pile-on. Union secretary David Genford said people should be treated with respect and contacted directly if concerns arose, rather than being criticised on social media without an examination of what had happened. He said at least five Liberal government members had posted about the issue and criticised what he called “ridiculous memes and AI slop”.

Minister Nick Duigan said he did not enjoy culture wars and did not think they added much, while also saying he supported celebrating Christmas. He said differences of opinion should be expressed respectfully, and said he would leave Mr Abetz to run his own social media presence.